In the event of an accidental interruption in the running of the metallurgical process, between the smelting of the steel in the converter and the solidification operation, the liquid steel bath contained in a metallurgical vessel cools down and it is conventional to have to reheat it in order to permit the subsequent normal continuation of the process.
Such a bath can be reheated using a flame or electrically.
Various methods are also known which involve metallothermy, according to which methods a metallic fuel, for example aluminum, is introduced into the liquid steel bath and put into contact with an oxidizing agent, for example gaseous oxygen. The reaction between the combustible metal and the oxidant is exothermic, and the heat obtained is used for reheating the bath.